Wire insertion tool



June 28, 1966 J. R. TURK ET AL 3,258,246

WIRE INSERTION TOOL Filed Jan. 27, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 +3 51 Mum INVENTORS Z4M$R 7212K BY (I555 0P SMITH June 28, 1966 J. R. TURK ET AL 3,258,246

WIRE INSERTION TOOL Filed Jan. 27, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. LIA/{5 R- TURK BY (1555 GP SMITH am, A? 19 M may United States Patent 3,258,246 WIRE INSERTION TOOL James R. Turk, Solon, and Jessop Smith, Gates Mills, Ohio, assignors to Vincent K. Smith, Gates Mills, Ohio Filed Jan. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 340,184 15 Claims. (Cl. 254134.3)

The present invention relates generally as indicated to a wire insertion tool and more particularly to a motor driven tool for feeding or paying out a metal tape or the like through electrical conduits and for subsequent retrieving or pulling in the tape with the electrical conductor wires or cable attached thereto.

Insertion tools having this general objective have been extensively used in the past, and power driven tools have in the past been provided to facilitate the feeding or retrieval of the tape or the like. Power driven tools have proved generally objectionable, however, due to their being relatively bulky and complex in construction, this last object resulting in significant maintenance problems.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved portable, power driven wire insertion tool of simple and lightweight construction, which is further characterized by convenience of handling and operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an insertion tool that is designed for convenient assembly with existing conventional sources of rotative power.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an insertion tool having a reversible drive means for paying out the tape in one direction of rotation of the drive means and for retrieving the tape when the drive means is rotated in the opposite direction. More specifically, the drive means is operatively connected through a clutch to the tape spool for positively driving the latter during tape retrieval and for permitting freewheeling of the spool when the drive means is reversed.

A still further object is to prevent kinking of the tape during paying out and retrieving by providing means for guiding the same in a smooth path.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for limiting the extent of travel of the tape inwardly of the tool during the tape retrieval process.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cable insertion tool which is readily accessible for maintenance and the like.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is primarily a side elevational view of the wire insertion tool of the present invention with, however, certain portions thereof being sectioned, taken on lines 1-1 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the wire insertion tool of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded enlarged view showing more clearly the clutch drive arrangement for the tape spool; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the upper portion of the wire insertion tool, with the housing being broken away to expose more clearly the internal structure thereof.

3,258,246 Patented June 28, 1966 "ice Referring now in more detail to the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the wire insertion tool embodying the present invention is generally indicated at 10 and comprises a preferably cast housing 12 to which is mounted a reversible electric motor 14. The reversible motor 14 is of the type having a trigger actuator 16 for operating the same, and it will be apparent that in the form shown the motor 14 represents an electric drill motor. The housing 12 can thus be simply and quickly mounted to a readily available source of electric power by means of a plurality of mounting bolts 18, e.g., which extend through formed openings therefor in the cast housing into threaded openings in the drill motor casting. Additional support is provided by a mounting screw 20 which extends through an opening in a supporting bracket 21 secured to the housing 12 and into engagement with a threaded opening in the drill motor casting. The motor 14 is electrically connected to a reversing switch 22 mounted in the housing 12 and being partially exposed at the housing exterior for manually reversing the motor. The reversibility of the motor thus conditions the same for rotation either in a direction for paying out the tape from the housing 12, or for retrieving the same into the housing by drive means to be hereinafter described. The motor 14 is provided with a cord 24 for connecting the motor to an electric current source (not shown).

The drive shaft 26 of the reversible motor 14 is provided with gear teeth 28 at the end thereof for driving engagement with gear 30, the latter being fixed to the tool main drive shaft 32. The shaft 32 is formed with a reduced diameter inner end portion 34 which is journalled in bearing 36 preferably press fitted in front mounting plate 38 of the motor housing. A thrust bearing 40 is disposed around the reduced end 34 of the shaft 32 between the gear 30 and the front mounting plate 38. It will thus be seen that rotation of the motor shaft 26 in either direction will effect rotation of the main drive shaft 32 in the opposite direction.

The opposite end 42 of the main drive shaft 32 is also of reduced diameter and extends through an opening 44 formed in the housing casting, a bearing 46 being disposed therebetween. A thrust bearing 48 is disposed around the reduced shaft portion 42 between the housing casting and the relatively enlarged portion of the main drive shaft.

A spiral miter gear 50 is keyed to the outer end of the reduced diameter portion 42 of the main driving shaft for rotation therewith and is maintained in longitudinally adjusted position thereon by means of a set screw (not shown). The gear 50 is adapted to engage and drive a similar spiral miter gear 52 which is keyed to a vertically disposed shaft 54 and longitudinally locked thereon by means of a set screw (not shown). The shaft 54 is journalled in the top of the housing 12, by means of bearing sleeve 56, and the bottom end 58 thereof is slightly re duced and terminates in the lower region of the housing, such lower end 58 being journalled in bearing 60 press fitted in bearing support member 6 2 which in turn is threadedly received in a threaded opening 64 in the cast housing. The bottom end of the bearing support 62 is slotted as indicated at 66 to permit vertical adjustment of the bearing support and thus the shaft 54 in the housing.

A worm gear 70 is suitably secured to the shaft 5'4 for rotation thereof relatively adjacent the upper end of the shaft, a thrust bearing 72 being disposed between the worm gear and the housing. The worm gear 70 is adapted to drive tape driving gear 74 which in turn drives a tape driving wheel in a manner to be hereinafter described when particular reference is made to FIG. 3. A second Worm gear 76 is secured to the shaft 54 relatively adjacent the lower end thereof, a thrust bearing 78 being disposed between the worm gear and the bearing support 62. The worm gear 76 drivingly engages spool worm gear 80 which is operatively connected to the tape spool by a clutching arrangement to be hereinafter described. It will thus be seen that through the drive train described the tape driving gear 74 and the spool worm gear 80 can be made to rotate in both directions responsive to reversal of direction of the drive shaft 26 of the motor 14.

The housing 12. is provided adjacent the upper end thereof with an extension 84 for mounting a flexible tape guide member generally indicated at 8 6. The latter includes an externally threaded inner end portion 88 adapted for threaded engagement with a tapped opening 90 in the extension 84. A washer 92 is disposed at the end of the threaded end portion 88 and such washer forms a seat for compression spring 94 which is disposed within the threaded end 88 for movement relative thereto. A follower 9 6 is disposed for movement within the threaded end 88, with the inner end of such follower forming a seat for the opposite end of said compression spring 94. The follower 96 is longitudinally bored to accommodate movement of the tape T therethrough. A jarn nut '98 is provided in threaded engagement with the sleeve 88 for locking the same in assembled position.

The leading end of the tape T has secured thereto a connecting member 100 to which the wire or cable to be drawn or delivered through the electrical conduit can be attached. A stop member 102 is secured to the free end of the guide member 86 for positioning the guide member at the wall opening. The connecting member 100 is movable through the flexible tubular guide 86 and exceeds in diameter the internal opening dimension of the follower 96 whereby during the retrieval process the connecting member 100 will contact the follower 96 and move the same inwardly, or to the right as viewed in FIG. 1. The spring 94 will thereby be compressed, thus serving to dampen or decelerate the follower 96 with the result being that an abrupt force is not placed on the tape which might tend to break the same.

Referring to FIG. 3, the tape driving gear 74 above described is securely mounted on a transverse shaft 110 preferably by keying means indicated at 112. The end of the shaft 110 adjacent the gear 74 is reduced and journalled in bearing'1 14 which is press fitted in embossed portion 116 of the cast housing, a pair of Washers 1 17 being disposed between gear 74 and the end bearing 114. The opposite end of the shaft 110 is provided with a preferably hexagonal cross-sectioned portion 118 upon which is positioned tape driving wheel 120, the latter being provided with a central hexagonal-shaped opening for disposal thereover and hence rotation therewith. The opposite end 122 of the shaft is reduced and is journalled in bearing 124 preferably press fitted in an opening in a cover member 126, the latter being provided with a peripheral flange 128 for frictionally fitting the same to the housing 12. A washer 130 is preferably provided between the hexagonal-shaped portion 118 of the shaft 10 and the bearing 12 4 for spacing the tape driving wheel from the bearing. It will thus be seen that the tape driving wheel 120 will rotate in the same direction as the gear 74.

The tape driving wheel 120 is formed with an annular groove 132 into which extends 'a pressure wheel 134 thereby to clamp the tape T therebetween. The pressure wheel 134 is mounted on the relatively short shaft 136 by means of bearing 138. Lower end portions 140 and 142 of a pressure arm generally indicated at 144, FIG. 5, are disposed on the shaft 136 on opposite sides of the pressure wheel 134, with washers 146 and 148 being disposed between the wheel and the end portions. The shaft 136 is formed with an enlarged head 150 engageable with the end portion 140 of the pressure arm, and the opposite end of the shaft is provided with a groove for receiving a retaining ring 152 for maintaining the described components in their assembled position. As will be hereinafter described, the pressure arm 144 functions to resiliently bias the pressure wheel 134 upwardly so as to maintain the tape T taut in the groove 132 of the tape driving wheel both during the paying out and retrieving operations.

Referring now to the means for driving the spool around which the tape T is wrapped, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, as above described the worm gear 76 drivingly engages the spool worm gear 80 for rotating the same in opposite directions. The spool worm gear 80 is rotatably mounted on fixed shaft by means of flanged bearing member 162. The shaft 160 is secured to a threaded support sleeve 164 which is preferably press fitted in the cast housing 12. A tape spool member generally indicated at 166 is similarly rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft 160 by means of bearing 168. The spool 166 is provided with a central hub portion 170 spaced from the spool worm gear 80 by washer 172. The spool 166 is provided with an annular shoulder 174 around which the tape T is adapted to wrap.

As best shown in the exploded FIG. 4 view, the hub 170 of the spool 166 has disposed therearound a clutch race insert 176 which is adapted to loosely receive a clutch spring 178 in the unwound condition of the latter. The spring 178 is provided with a leading end portion .180 extendable through an opening 182 provided therefor in the spool worm gear 80. A spool and tape cover member 184 is disposed adjacent the outer end of the shaft .and the entire assembly is maintained assembled on the shaft 160 by means of a retainer ring 186 disposable within a groove provided therefor in the outer end of the fixed shaft. The cover 184 is provided with an outwardly offset hub portion 188 formed with a plurality of ribs 190 the inner portions of which are engageable with a pair of washers 192 and 194 disposed around the fixed shaft 160 between the ribs 190 and the flange of the bearing 168. In the thus assembled form, it will be seen that the cover 184 is so arranged relative to the spool 1166 to form an annular chamber for receiving and confining the tape T around the spool. The cover 184 is formed with an inwardly directed annular flange i192 slightly overlapping the outer periphery of the spool member, the flange being formed adjacent the top thereof with an opening through which the tape T travels to and from the tape driving wheel.

Through the described spring clutch arrangement, rotation of the spool worm gear 80 in one direction will rotatably couple the spool 166 for rotation therewith but rotation in the opposite direction will uncouple the spool and provide freewheeling of the same on the fixed shaft 160. Specifically, when looking at FIG. 3 from the right end thereof, clockwise rotation of the worm spool gear 80 will tend to wrap the spring 178 tightly around the clutch race insert 176 thereby frictionally coupling the spool 166 for rotation with the spool worm gear. Such clutching arrangement will be effective during the retrieving operation to positively drive the spool 166 for tightly wrapping the tape T therearound. On the other hand, rotation of the spool worm gear 80 in the opposite direction, or counterclockwise when viewing the arrangement from the above-noted direction, will not be effective to wrap the spring .178 about the clutch race insert 176 whereby the spool 166 will remain uncoupled from the spool worm gear, and hence be able to freely rotate on the fixed shaft 160. In the latter such condition, the tape T will be paid out from the spool at a speed controlled by the tape driving wheel 120.

As previously described, the pressure arm 144 functions to maintain the pressure wheel 134 into tight contact with the tape T in the annular groove 132 of the tape driving wheel 120 and, referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated therein the entire pressure arm 144 and the means by which the same can be variably adjusted to regulate the pressure on the tape T. The lower end portions i140 and 142 of the pressure arm 144, only the arm 140- being shown in FIG. 5, merge in an intermediate portion 200 thereof and the remainder of such arm is in the form of a rearwardly extending tongue or blade portion 202. One end of the pressure arm 144 is pivotally mounted to the housing casting 12 by means of a pin 204 which is suitably secured in the housing and extends through aligned openings in the lower ends 140 and 142 of the pressure arm 144. In this manner the entire pressure arm is rotatable about the pin 204 to bring the pressure wheel 134 mounted on the pressure arm into biasing contact with the tape T in the groove 132 of the driving wheel 120. The blade portion 202 of the pressure arm 144 is formed with a notch 206 relatively adjacent the end thereof for receiving a leaf spring 208 suitably mounted to the housing 12, the leaf spring functioning to bias the pressure arm 14-4 upwardly, relative to the FIG. 5 showing thereof, about the pin 204. A cam assembly generally indicated at 210 is provided for relieving the pressure of leaf spring 208, such cam assembly comprising a cam 212 which is rotatably mounted on pin 2 14 for movement thereabout there-by to move the cam surface and vary the position of the blade 202. The cam 212 is provided with an adjusting knob 216 at the forward end thereof to facilitate grasping of the same for ready adjustment. The cam 212 is disposed between, and the pin 214 is mounted in, spaced pivot blocks 2'18 and 220, FIG. 2, preferably integrally cast with the housing 12. It will be seen that through the described arrangement the cam 212 can be adjusted by the adjusting knob 2 16 to permit variable adjusting of the tongue 202 whereby the degree of biasing of the pressure wheel 134 can be simply and quickly adjusted. The degree of pressure maintained between the pressure wheel 134 and the tape driving wheel 1 20 will normally be sufficient to maintain the tape T in a taut condition but not so tight as to impair movement thereof into or from the tape housing.

The operation of the wire insertion tool of the present invention should now be apparent from the above description; the stop 102 can be quickly guided into the wall opening and the tape T paid out through the electrical conduit by setting of the switch 22 in the proper position. When the wire or cable is attached to the connecting member 100 at the opposite end of the conduit, the movement of the switch 22 to a reversing position will be effective to retrieve the tape T and the connecting member 100 secured thereto whereby the wire or cable can be quickly drawn through the conduit for exposure at the wall outlet. The extent to which the connecting member enters the flexible tubular guide 86 is limited by the follower 96 as above described. The spool is positively rotated during the retrieving operation and is freewheeling during the paying out process with the tape T in both operations being adjustably tensioned through biased engagement of the pressure wheel 134 with the tape T disposed in the groove 132 of the driving Wheel 120. The described insertion tool is, moreover, simple in construction, highly compact and easily accessible for maintenance and the like.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. An insertion tool comprising a housing, spool means rotatably mounted in said housing for receiving tape means adapted to be wrapped therearound, reversible drive means attached to said housing, means drivingly connected to said drive means for positively driving said spool for retrieving said tape when said drive means is operated in one direction, and means drivingly connected to said drive means for positively paying out said tape when said drive means is operated in the opposite direction.

2. An insertion tool for paying out and retrievinga tape member or the like comprising a housing, a flexible tubular guide member mounted at the front of said housing for variably accommodating said tool to a Wall opening through which said tape member can be directed, spool means rotatably mounted in said housing for receiving said tape member, reversible motor means attached to said housing, means drivingly connected to said motor means for positively driving said spool when said motor is operated in one direction for retrieving said tape, and means drivingly connected to said drive means for paying out said tape when said motor is. operated in the opposite direction.

3. The combination of claim 2 further including damping means associated with said tubular guide member for decelerating and stopping said tape member during the tape retrieval operation.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said damping means comprises resilient, compressible spring means disposed within an externally threaded end portion of said tubular guide member mounted to said housing, and follower means disposed within said end portion outwardly of said spring, the end of said tape member being provided with means to engage said follower during retrieval of said tape member thereby to compress said spring and decelerate said tape member.

5. An insertion tool for paying out and retrieving a tape member or the like, comprising a housing, spool means rotatably mounted in said housing, said spool being constructed and arranged to receive and coil said tape member thereabout, reversible electric motor means attached to said housing, drive means interconnecting said motor means and said spool, said drive means including a one-way clutch for operatively coupling said spool to said motor means lfOl. retrieving said tape when said motor means is operated in one direction and for uncoupling said spool from said motor means for permitting freewheeling of said spool and paying out of said tape when said motor means is operated in the opposite direction, and means driven by said motor means for positively paying out said tape during freewheeling of said spool.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said drive means further includes spool gear means drivingly connected to said motor means for rotation in opposite directions responsive to reversal of said motor, and clutch spring means operatively connected to said spool gear for rotation therewith and disposed around a hub portion of said spool, the arrangement being such that rotation of said spool gear in one direction effects a tight wrapping of said clutch spring around said hub portion for positively driving said spool, and rotation of said spool gear in an opposite direction effects rotation of said clutch spring around said hub thereby permitting freewheeling of said spool.

7. An insertion tool for pay-ing out and retrieving a tape member or the like comprising a housing, spool means rotatably mounted in said housing and around which said tape is adapted to Wrap, reversible electric motor means attached to .said housing, drive means interconnecting said motor means and said spool for positively driving said spool for retrieving said tape and for permitting freewheeling of said spool during paying out of said tape, and tape driving means for engaging and positively driving said tape during said paying out and retrieval operations.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said tape driving means comprises a tape driving gear operatively connected to said motor means for rotation thereby in op posite directions, a tape driving wheel rotatably coupled to said tape driving gear for rotation therewith, and means for biasing said tape into tight pressure contact with said tape driving wheel for positive movement of said tape .by said wheel.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said tape driving wheel is formed with an annular, peripheral groove Within which said tape is disposed, and said biasing means comprises a pressure wheel fitting within said groove and biasing said tape tightly against the bottom of said groove, and means for varying the pressure of said pressure wheel on said tape in said groove.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said means for varying the pressure on said pressure wheel comprises a pressure arm pi-votally mounted adjacent one end on said housing, said pressure Wheel being mounted for rotation adjacent said one end of said arm, and spring means for biasing the opposite end of said arm so as to bias said wheel into tight contact with said tape in said groove.

1 1. The combination of claim 10 further including cam means mounted on said housing and engageable with said opposite end of said arm thereby to variably control the effectiveness of said spring for biasing said pressure arm.

"-12. An insertion tool -for paying out and retrieving a tape member or the like, comprising a housing, spool means rotatably mounted in said housing, said spool being constructed and arranged to receive and coil said tape member thereabout, reversible electric motor means attached to said housing, drive means interconnecting said motor means and said spool, said drive means including clutch spring means for operatively coupling said spool to said motor means for retrieving said tape and for uncoupling said spool from said motor means [for permitting freewheeling of said spool during paying out of said tape, and tape driving means for engaging and positively driving said tape during said paying out and retrieval operations.

13. The combination of claim 12 wherein said drive means further includes spool gear means drivingly connected to said motor means .for rotation in opposite dire-ctions responsive to reversal of said motor, and said clutch spring means is operatively connected to said spool gear for rotation therewith and disposed around a hub portion of said spool, the arrangement being such that rotation of said spool gear in one direction effects a tight wrapping of said clutch spring around said hub portion for positively driving said spool, and rotation of said spool gear in an opposite direction effects rotation of said clutch spring on said hub thereby permitting freewheeling of said spool.

14. The combination of claim 12 wherein said tape driving means comprises a tape driving gear operatively connected to said motor means for rotation thereby in opposite directions, a tape driving wheel rotatably coupled to said tape driving gear for rotation therewith, and means for biasing said tape into tight pressure contact with said tape driving wheel for positive movement of said tape by said wheel.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein said tape driving wheel is formed with an annular, peripheral groove within which said tape is disposed, and said biasing means comprises a pressure wheel fitting within said groove and biasing said tape tightly against the bottom of said groove, and means for varying the pressure of said pressure whee-l on said tape in said groove.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,861,584 6/1932 Readeker et al. 2,729,424 1/1956 Eppensteiner 254134.3 2,798,581 7/ 1957 Supiti'lov. 3,145,972 8/1964 Sweeney 254-1343 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Examiner. 

1. AN INSERTION TOOL COMPRISING A HOUSING, SPOOL MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING FOR RECEIVING TAPE MEANS ADAPTED TO BE WRAPPED THEREAROUND, REVERSIBLE DRIVE MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID HOUSING, MEANS DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVE MEANS FOR POSITIVELY DRIVING SAID SPOOL FOR RETRIEVING SAID TAPE WHEN SAID DRIVE MEANS IS OPERATED IN ONE DIRECTION, AND MEANS DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVE MEANS FOR POSITIVELY PAYING OUT SAID TAPE WHEN SAID DRIVE MEANS IS OPERATED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. 